A new restaurant and bar could soon breathe new life into one of downtown Boston‘s most iconic watering hole spaces.
According to Boston Restaurant Talk, the holder of the liquor license for Clarke’s at Faneuil Hall, Merchants Row Corporation, has petitioned to transfer the license to MerchRow LLC, which plans to open a new but similar dining and drinking destination in the pub space at 21 Merchants Row.
While the concept has not yet been named, a city licensing board notice outlines plans for a restaurant and bar featuring two rooms, a central bar area, and a seasonal outdoor patio.
The first-floor space would span approximately 3,575 square feet, with seating divided between two rooms separated by the kitchen and hallway. Outside, a 360-square-foot seasonal patio would seat 24 guests and remain open until midnight, while indoor dining and bar service would continue until 2 a.m.
City filings list local restaurateur John Jacob as the proposed manager, while Massachusetts business records identify John and his wife, Niamh Jacob, as the principals behind MerchRow LLC. John and Niamh are best known as the owners of Napper Tandy’s, a popular Irish pub with locations in Norwood, Walpole, and Millis.
At a Boston Licensing Board hearing on Wednesday, John said he hopes to open the restaurant “as soon as possible.” According to Universal Hub, he plans to offer much of the same food and drinks previously offered at Clarke’s, which was known for comfort favorites such as burgers, sandwiches, New England clam chowder, and Dublin fries.
John’s attorney, Christopher Timson, also said that guests can expect the “same type of food, beverages and hospitality they received at Clarke’s.” While the team had previously selected a name for the restaurant, John said it is now being reconsidered due to “some issues.”
The downtown project isn’t John’s only venture in the works. He is also preparing to open 204 Washington Tavern in the former 204 Washington Restaurant & Bar space in East Walpole.
Clarke’s first opened in 1975 and earned a reputation as one of the last old-school neighborhood pubs in the Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall district before it permanently shuttered this past April.
What Now Boston has reached out to John for more information about the new concept, including an official menu and anticipated opening timeline, and will share updates as they become available.
